Navy Detonates WW2 Bomb On Somerset Beach

Royal Navy bomb disposal experts have carried out a controlled explosion of a World War Two bomb on a beach in Somerset.

The team from Southern Diving Unit 1, HMNB Devonport was called to a report of an unknown object exposed by the unusually low tide a few hundred metres off Middle Hope Beach, north of Weston-super-Mare.

The unknown object turned out to be an anti-submarine mortar bomb from World War Two, thought to have been used in the area when the near-by Ministry of Defence weapon research facility was in operation.

"After excavating around the device we established that the device was intact and possibly live," said Petty Officer Diver Rob Bishop, team leader of the duty bomb disposal crew.

The bomb disposal team realised the device could not be moved or disturbed due to its firing mechanism.

The ordnance still required attention, however, because of its proximity to the beach and being directly in line with both Bristol and Cardiff Airports.

As the team couldn’t fully identify the bomb's nose section due to its position in the mud, they had to assume the worst-case scenario.

"We marked the site and waited until the next low tide," added PO Bishop.

"Then with the help of the Avon & Somerset Police, [we] set up a two kilometre bubble over the site with a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) and a 1.5 km cordon around the device, before carrying out a controlled explosion of the mortar bomb.

"On inspection of the remains after the explosion we noticed there was concrete present, which would have come from an inert device, but we couldn’t be sure until it was blown."

Weston-super-Mare Coastguard volunteers helped out the Royal Navy team by advising on local conditions and tides.

"We were alerted by some members of the public that there was an object sticking out of the mud," said Jeff Gunton, from Weston-super-Mare Coastguard.

"An incident like this relies on working together closely.

"They’ve got the knowledge of how to dispose of the ordnance and what it actually is, we’ve got the local knowledge of the area; it's working together as a team that really makes a difference."

Cover image: Royal Navy.